SalMar ASA

SalMar ASA

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Agricultural Farm Products

SalMar ASA (SALRF) Q3 2021 Earnings Call Transcript

Published at 2021-11-17 08:09:06
Frode Arntsen
35:18 Yes. Hello, everyone. Thank you, Gustav, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to come here and present InnovaNor. And most likely, it's not every day that you see a person dress like this, and when it comes for presenting the quarterly results. And I'm addressed well, like, I'm ready for effort and some hard work to get InnovaNor up and running, and maybe also picture for SalMar and its operational focus. 35:54 As already mentioned, it has been a long journey before we can stand there that nowhere are here at SalMar and in the final stages putting our new harvest on processing plant into operation. It is a great pleasure and proud that I can finally wish you all a very welcome to InnovaNor. 36:12 I think I'll speak for everyone in SalMar and I say that we truly have looked forward to this moment. Finally, we have our own harvest and processing plant in Northern Norway. In this way, we have a complete value chain here in this region and can increase over value creation, quality and flexibility when it comes to handling our Northern fish. 36:35 In my department sales and industry, we have the responsibility of receiving the salmon when it's ready for harvest, maximize the possible utilization and ensure that all our customers in all corners of the world get their best possible product on their dining table. 36:53 And it’s an impressive facility this has been constructed here on SalMar. Everything built for future sustainable growth and increased value creation on each salmon. In one word, it is a large factory with twenty thousand square meters and a harvest capacity of seventy five thousand tons of salmon per shift and thirty thousand ton of VAP processing per shift per year. And the infrastructure is built for even bigger volumes. 37:27 As you probably know, we planned to harvest fifty nine thousand tons in Northern Norway this year. So with this plant, we are also building for the future. And for the further growth in the region, we in SalMar have strong beliefs in. The plant is rigged, its state of the art equipment for both harvesting, processing, packaging, freezing, including different storage capabilities. 37:51 At the same time, a separate box-factory and [indiscernible] were handling and utilizing [indiscernible] and been built in direct connection with this factory. Ensuring optimal utilization of the salmon and minimizing our environmental footprint. The facilities is also our new head office in the Northern Norway, ensuring operational advantages and short decision lines. While to make sure that everything we do today, we do a little bit better than yesterday. 38:26 In short, we are very proud of the facility that has been built, and we have made plans for how the plant can be expanded as we continue to grow our business here in the North. It is a building as I said built for the future. 38:43 InnovaNor is an important key for us to succeed in the value chain and enable us to grow further. It gives us a number of advantages and in respect by longer trickle risk, because we have a large momentum capacity, it gives us the opportunity to receive large volumes in a short time. This means that we can optimize harvesting to when the salmon is ready to be harvested. This also means that we reduce risk and consequences, if you should have any challenges that makes it necessary for us to harvest the fish in a short notice. 39:23 Logistics, the last period has shown us, how demanding logistics can be when we have a record high harvest volume to handle and we have harvested at a number of different facilities. This will be significantly easier with InnovaNor in operation and enables us to optimize logistics and with that increased quality and reduce costs. In addition, we have built box-factory next door, which means that we can reduce transport and increase flexibility. 39:56 For products, one thing we have seen during COVID-19 is how important value-added processing is. This has always been a strategic focus area for us SalMar. And with InnovaNor, we can develop this further. The factory will be built with both post and prior rigor VAP capacity from the start. And going forward, we can develop our VAP capabilities, so we can offer exactly the products that market and customers demand. Something that is a huge strategic advantage for us. 40:31 And greenhouse gas emissions, local processing here in Norway is crucial for us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions related to transport. At SalMar, we already see great effects of this through the processing within Central Norway. In fact, forty six thousand tons of Co2 were reduced in twenty twenty because we have such a large processing activity on the cost here in Norway. By getting InnovaNor in operation, we can strengthen this number even further. 41:05 Handling of the [indiscernible]. At the same time, it is important that we take care of all the [indiscernible] after our harvesting and processing activity. Therefore, we have built a reception center for [indiscernible], enabling us to utilize these to make other salmon-based products. It is great for the circular economy and it's great for the environment. In short, this facility is very important for us to further develop our value chain here in the North in a more sustainable efficient direction. And to take in short, it gives us a robust platform for further sustainable growth in the Northern region. 41:51 SalMar will also be one of the largest employers at salmon, together with the expansion of the smolt facility at salmon, we have already employed more than two hundred fifty employees in the region. More than one hundred head up in InnovaNor. And in total, more than three hundred and thirty persons in both Troms and Finnmark. Over time, we have plans to grow this number even further in connection with our increased activity in the launch. And it is not just as we depend on when we use the facility, local suppliers will be used for a number of services, which facility of these size requires. A win-win for all involved. 42:35 And we are thus becoming one of the largest employers at salmon. We are beware of the social responsibility that comes with that. For SalMar, it has always been important to support the local communities in which we operate. For SalMar, it is important that our employees thrive in the workplace, and it is also important that they thrive in their free time. Therefore, we will continue to increase our support to the local community, both in terms of sport, culture, and other activities. 43:08 At the same time, we will strengthen and continue our collaboration with educational and research institutions. This to gain even more knowledge for how we can develop this great industry going forward. We are excited for what the future holds here in SalMar. For us, putting in on the word into operation is just the beginning. It is now the real work starts. And together with all our employees head in the North, and in the rest of the organization in SalMar, we will make sure that we utilize the facility and get all the effects we want, in respect of quality, flexibility, economy, sustainability, and social responsibility. And as Gustav said, this is only their beginning. 43:57 So with that, I’ll wish us all a good luck. Thank you very much. Gustav Witzøe: 44:08 Thank you, Frode for a great presentation. I'll wish you and your team, all the best in the work ahead for this is just the beginning. When we stood at – on stage in August and announced our partnership with Aker and establishment of SalMar Aker Ocean, we said that we expected to close the deal in the first quarter of twenty twenty two. But we have already done it. 44:43 It has been a fascinating and learning full process and the fact that we have closed the transaction so quickly, shows us clearly as possible, the enthusiasm and effort, the both Aker and SalMar are sherling into the project. SalMar Aker Ocean is intended to be in the very spear head of development in offshore aquacultures. 45:19 As you know, the first site permit application has already been submitted to the authorities. For the world’s first open ocean aquaculture installation, the smart fish farm. When we have received a final response to the application and clarification of their regulatory framework, we will be in a position to make a final investment decision. 45:50 At the same time, we are working on a new semi-offshore installation that we expect to make an investment decision on as soon as possible. I can promise that Aker and SalMar together will contribute all the competence and resources necessary to succeed on the journey. A new and exciting branch of aquaculture is just starting to merge, and we are looking forward to watching it grow under SalMar Aker Oceans guided in. 46:30 For over thirty years, sustainable food production has been SalMar’s hallmark. This effort continues. SalMar aims to be the leading operator within traditional aquaculture as well as fish farming in more exposed areas and offshore in the open oceans. For SalMar, all are equally important and continued sustainable development and traditional aquaculture will be retail to our success offshore. SalMar, therefore has strong growth plans for our traditional aquaculture going forward. 47:15 As I said before, we are increasing our forecast for the volume of salmon the expected to harvest in Norway this year, by sixty thousand ton to a total one hundred and sixty nine thousand tons. Next year, we expect fewer growth in all regions. In twenty twenty two, we will harvest one hundred and seventy five thousand tons in Norway. At the same time, we will harvest a total of sixteen thousand ton in Iceland and that's thirty three percent rise compared with this year, and we are on track to exploit their potential effort by the company's licenses. 48:02 We expect Scottish Sea Farm to harvest forty six thousand tons in twenty twenty two, an increase of thirty nine percent following the transition in Shetland. All-in-all, this means that SalMar expected to harvest two hundred and fourteen thousand tons in twenty twenty two, including our relative shares of the output in the UK. This represented a volume growth of eight percent for over traditional fish farming operation in twenty twenty two. 48:43 I'll conclude this quarterly presentation by looking forward. As previously mentioned, we will continue to focus on the things we can influence and do something about. We will optimize conditions so the people and salmon can succeed and drive. Good financial results are the product of good biological performance, which comes from operating on the salmon terms. 49:17 We will therefore continue our strategic investments in result sustainable growth on land along the coast and out to sea. With that establishment of SalMar Aker Ocean, we are now ready to realize the potential in the open ocean. Our aim is to build a globally leading offshore aquaculture company. 49:45 In addition, we now expect to harvest a total of one hundred ninety seven thousand five hundred tons in twenty twenty one, six thousand more than previously guided. We expect to harvest one hundred and sixty nine thousand tons in Norway, twelve thousand tons in Iceland and thirty three thousand tons in Scotland this year. In twenty twenty two, we accept to harvest even more a total of two hundred and fourteen thousand tonnes, including our relative share in Scotland a year-on-year increased by eight percent. 50:25 For the fourth quarter of twenty twenty one overall, we expect higher volumes stable cost level. The contract rate for the quarter, for the fourth quarter and for twenty twenty one as a whole stands at around thirty five percent. The contract rate for the fourth quarter and for twenty twenty one as a whole stands at around twenty five percent. Salmar, we take an optimistic view of the future and recent experience has shown as just how strong salmon market is. We expect moderate growth in supply in twenty twenty two. Our job is to take this steps needed to strengthen us today and make us even better going forward. The different investments and project we have discussed today are clear examples or just that. We will continue to focus on the solution, not the problem. 51:44 To conclude, I would like to issue an invitation. As you may remember, we had planned to state a Capital Markets Day in June two thousand. Unfortunately, we had to cancel that event due to Coronavirus restrictions. However, we really want to show you all our value chain and present our ambitions for the way forward. So I'm delighted to invite you to SalMar next Capital Markets Day scheduled for this twenty second, and twenty third of June twenty twenty two. All the details have not been concluded, but please hold the date, we will distribute future information and details of how to register your participation at a later point of time. 52:47 With this we have come to the end of our presentation. Our next quarterly presentation will be in February, until then we hope all of you stay safe and healthy continue to eat a lot of salmon. Thank you for your attention. Q -: